I too went to Auschwitz in 2001 and it was the most moving experience I have ever witnessed in my life so far. To even write this brings goose bumps to my skin and that is not an exaggeration. It was one of the most meaningful parts of my trip to Poland. It was a close second to staying on the farm with my family that I discovered I had in the northeast part of Poland. While I was moved to be at the camps, in some ways I felt it was an intrusion to the spirits that must still surround the area. I, of course was quite humbled by the experience at age 49, but there were young adults there who were laughing and fooling around. While I do not know what it was they were laughing at, it was quite disrespectful none the less. It angered me to see this, but I likened it to the governments ( and the Catholic Church) that must have know these concentration camps existed and yet looked the other way. It seemed like the horror would never end for me on that tour; I cannot imagine ! what th ose souls had to endur. They are all saints in my book, irregardless of the church's officially canonizing them as such. Do not miss this experience... -------------- Original message -------------- From: Mary Johnson <charlie7299@yahoo.com> > I went to Auschwitz in 2001. People told me I should go, well I did, I was > emtionally unstable for the visit. I started crying and could not stop; the > tour guide wanted me to go back to the bus, but I told him I would stand in the > back and see how and what I could. It was an emotionally draining experience. > I'm not so sure on the "happy" part but I believe it was a thing I had to do; > and you cannot image or have any Idea of what these people had to endure. I > prayed for them along the way myself. It overwhelmed me to think that people > actually did this to other poeple and all the children. > > My family and myself are taking another trip to Poland this fall. I am > looking forward to see how things have changed or stayed the same from our last > visit. I haven't been able to locate my "Matuszyk" but I'm still trying. > > Mary > > Jack and Rose wrote: > Hi Margaret > As much as I had learned in school about the Holocaust and horrors of the > concentration camps, NOTHING CAN BE MORE HORRIFYING or SORROWFUL than > visiting in person these places > The room full of human hair being woven into blankets for the Nazi soldiers > made my stomach sick > Rooms full of babies clothing taken from the Jews and Polish people to be > sent to the Nazi soldiers families in Germany, rooms full of shoes, > hairbrushes, toothbrushes confiscated from all who entered the camps, > horrified me. I WAS SICKENED BY ALL, BUT " Happy" that I did go > Everyone kept telling my husband and myself,,, If you travel that far from > the USA and Go to Poland > YOU MUST SEE THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS! > We did not want to go, but are " happy" that we did. > The trip is a long one from Warsaw, but it is a MUST SEE! > > THE WORSE FOR ME WAS SEEING THE WELCOME SIGN " WORK WILL MAKE YOU FREE" > These poor victims did not have a clue that HARD WORK would not save their > lives at all..... > > I believe in my heart that if at all possible ( and I know its not) all > people should visit a concentration camp to see for themselves the REALITY > and HORROR of it all.... Its easier to believe in evil when you see it WITH > ONES OWN EYES > > God bless all of the victims of these evil acts > > I prayed and prayed for all of the souls each and every room that I entered > and cried tears of deep sorrow for them all > > Love and God bless you all > Rose Zydel Olson > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Marlo50" > To: > > Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:21 AM > Subject: Re: [PBS] My trip to Poland > > > > Rose, I really enjoyed your message about your trip to Poland. I wondered > > what your reaction was when you went to Auschwitz? I am old enough to > > remember the end of WW2 and the liberation of those camps and I still have > > that terrible feeling of horror how any so called human could treat > > another > > human in that manner. Margaret > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Jack and Rose" > > To: > > > Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:08 PM > > Subject: [PBS] My trip to Poland > > > > > >> Hi Noreen > >> Thanks for asking > >> IT WAS BETTER THAN MY HUSBAND OR I EVER ANTICIPATED.... > >> > >> LOT air is great, I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of > >> traveling to Poland or Eastern Europe > >> > >> We stayed in the Warsawa Westin Hotel in Warsaw > >> EXCELLENT, expensive, but well worth it > >> We had a banquet there for 20 family members that I have never met before > >> What a family Re-union or should I say UNION.... > >> > >> Family came from Belarus and all parts of Poland to meet my husband and > >> I. > >> > >> Saw Warsawa, Krakow, Concentration Camps in Auschwitz. etc....Bialystok, > >> Poltusk, oh so many towns ( mostly Center of Poland, Southern Sections > >> and > >> some Northern Sections of the country) > >> And the FARMLANDS ARE AMAZING.... > >> > >> I thought Lancaster County PA was beautiful, but nothing can compare to > >> the > >> rye, wheat farms in Poland > >> > >> Hugs and God bless you all > >> Rose Zydel Olson > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: > >> To: > > >> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 6:57 PM > >> Subject: Re: [PBS] Enough Golobki Already!!! > >> > >> > >>> Hi Rose, > >>> Welcome back and how was the trip? > >>> Noreen > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new > >>> AOL > >>> at > >>> http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour > >>> > >>> ------------------------------- > >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >>> POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > >>> without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > >> without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > >> > >> -- > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >> Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/906 - Release Date: 7/17/2007 > >> 6:30 PM > >> > >> > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > --------------------------------- > Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, > photos & more. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message